Riot reworks Fiora, completely destroys her

[Paragon Fury]

So the latest Champion to get reworked by Riot Games for League of Legends is the Fencer, Fiora.

http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/champions-skins/champion-update/champion-update-fiora

And the response has been...yeah. Thanks for absolutely destroying her, Riot. There are two main issues; gameplay and appearance.

Gameplay wise:

- She actually has a passive now.
- Her Q and W got buffed and made more usable.
- Her E got changed to be more useful in fighting while being less useful anywhere else
- Her R got made awesome for 1v1s and absolutely fucking terrible for anything else.

Basically, Fiora can now use her Q freely, and W reflects ALL damage if timed correctly (even Ults like Karthus, Zed, Ashe etc.) which is great. Her Passive is now if she strikes an enemy from a certain angle every few seconds (think like Quinn's Harrier Passive with Valor) she does extra damage and gains a short time movespeed buff.

However, her R got completely changed. Now she challenges an enemy, and has to hit them in 4 specific spots within 8 seconds. If she does, or they die, she and her allies in a small area around the target get a decent heal off of it. The problem with this is twofold - its completely useless in teamfights because she will be annihilated by most common team compositions if she ever goes near a teamfight, and in 1v1s quite a few champions can just beat her to the punch.

Basically instead of being an Assassin who can Splitpush if she needs to, now she is solely relegated to the realm of Splitpushing constantly - a definite downgrade in gameplay.

The second thing, APPEARANCE, is what people are most angry over (including myself). Fiora has consistently been considered when of the most attractive and pretty female Champions in League of Legends. And relatively realistic as well. Sure, she had a pretty fine booty that most women would kill to have, but overall she was very attractive without being too out there.

I now present the new Fiora splash art, and a comparison of her old models vs. her new models.

Spoiler

Old Model on Left, New Model on Right

Fiora's Old Splash Art

Fiora's New Splash Art

Yeah.

As someone on the Riot forums put it; Fiora went from the sexy schoolteacher/instructor that made everyone had to have the "talk" with their parents, to giving everyone PTSD from bringing up memories of catching their parents having sex that one time.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Riot has always had this obsession with fixing what isn't broken and changing things for the sake of change (like their forums, for instance). This is especially apparent when it comes to their splash art (see Ahri's splash art before and after they changed it for one especially bad example). They change a champion's splash art simply for the sake of changing it, and usually make it worse in the process instead of fixing splash arts that actually need fixing...like Poppy's, for example.

Now, Fiora has been borderline unplayable for a while now, but at least her death-or-glory approach to teamfights was exciting and fun, especially in ARAM matches. Now...they just ruined a champion, completely and utterly. They failed to fix her gameplay, and destroyed her aesthetics in the process.

I used to love being a part of Riot's community. Shit like this is why I quit, (they ruined Garen, and that was the last straw) and it only seems to be getting worse.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Wow, they ruined that model.

 

[Smoketrail]

I don't play the game but it looks like they're trying to change the art style? does the newer more "cartoonish" look gel with the other changes you've said they been making?

Also again being a non player is it normal for league that the model looks nothing like the art?

 

[Aerosteam]

I don't play League or know anything about that character, but holy shit is that model hideous compared to the previous one.

 

[Dalek Caan]

Wow, just went onto the LoL Art and Story Forums and there is over 39 separate threads on this one issue. That's a lot of people who are really upset about this one small thing. I haven't played League in a long time and never used Fiora during the period where I did play so maybe the change to her abilities actually is something to be concerned about. Her model and art however is something people should really calm down about, Riot has already said, two [https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/3e9mh6/fiora_model_is_being_worked_on_we_are_being/ctcz291] times [https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/3e8t9u/722_pbe_update/ctcsyqq] in fact, that her appearance is still being worked on and is meant to fit into the games new style. It would probably be best if the community waited for the "last" edition of Fiora to be released before freaking out.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Wow, just went onto the LoL Art and Story Forums and there is over 39 separate threads on this one issue. That's a lot of people who are really upset about this one small thing. I haven't played League in a long time and never used Fiora during the period where I did play so maybe the change to her abilities actually is something to be concerned about. Her model and art however is something people should really calm down about, Riot has already said, two [https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/3e9mh6/fiora_model_is_being_worked_on_we_are_being/ctcz291] times [https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/3e8t9u/722_pbe_update/ctcsyqq] in fact, that her appearance is still being worked on and is meant to fit into the games new style. It would probably be best if the community waited for the "last" edition of Fiora to be released before freaking out.

Well, if we do that, then they would push the current model to live. Then it would be too late to do anything about it.

Better to let them know earlier, so that they can fix it. Also need to let them know loudly, because this isn't the first time something like this has happened, and if they don't complain loudly enough, Riot will just brush it off and continue pulling stunts like this.

 

[Frankster]

Second model looks like Fiora had one of those eye widening surgeries I've read some asians do.

As for the splash art.... I'm actually going to have to disagree big time, BIG fucking time.
What's the issue with the art exactly anyways?

"The second thing, APPEARANCE, is what people are most angry over (including myself). Fiora has consistently been considered when of the most attractive and pretty female Champions in League of Legends. And relatively realistic as well. Sure, she had a pretty fine booty that most women would kill to have, but overall she was very attractive without being too out there."

I..don't understand this.
Are you saying 2nd version is more attractive but unrealistic? The body proportions seem to be more or less the same except in the first pic you don't get a good look of Fiora's breasts whereas you do in the 2nd.
So is it the angle throwing you off perhaps?
You're gonna need to explain to me how 2nd is more unrealistic then the 1st please. Then again I find it bleh to refer to a fine booty as "unrealistic", mate every good looking champion in LoL must be unrealistic by that criteria.

Otherwise the only difference I can see is the clothes change, and I won't argue the style looks better in the 1st.
But I can follow some of the logic behind the redesign, new Fiora is wearing what looks like a hyper stylized fencing jacket, just a shame it's missing the arm portions.

Can see what the fuss is about for the champ redesign, but then riot has already pointlessly redesigned and broken champs before so this is nothing new.
Don't see what the fuss is about for the splash art, but if all I hear as criticisms is Fiora is suddenly too sexy now (even though her physique really doesn't look like it's been touched) then I'll just go ahead and laugh my way out tyvm.

 

[Objectable]

Oh no. You can no longer wank to a video game character.
Look how much I care!


http://creativetodd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/white-space.gif

 

[Dalek Caan]

Well, if we do that, then they would push the current model to live. Then it would be too late to do anything about it.

Better to let them know earlier, so that they can fix it. Also need to let them know loudly, because this isn't the first time something like this has happened, and if they don't complain loudly enough, Riot will just brush it off and continue pulling stunts like this.

Very true, but I think it would be best to let them know what legitimist criticisms. If you go onto the forums right now, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't though, you would see a lot of people complaining only because she is no longer hot or her hair doesn't have a dash of red in it. A lot of them just say it's bad and give no reason. 39+ threads of that, I'm not surprised Riot barely comments on their own forums.

 

[Harlemura]

I'm actually kind of looking forward to the update. I'm not the best at League of Legends and I'm especially bad at pretty much any and all top laners, Fiora included, but she's a champion I've always liked, more from a lore/design standpoint that a gameplay one. It's for that reason I think the changes to her kit are alright. I mean, her title is "The Grand Duelist" so surely it's about time they made her incredibly good at going toe to toe with a single other champion.
Y'know, instead of Jax being better at doing that in almost every single way.

As for the design; That model is hideous and I'm not even going to try and defend it. The splash art, however, I'm alright with. Like I said, I like Fiora from a design standpoint, but her old design was a bit too busy. Flourishes here, daggers there, there's an awful lot going on for a character that, in game, will take up a fraction of your screen. I thought her little waistcoat thing was neat, but sacrificing that for a more clear, concise design is a small price to pay if it's making it super clear what it is Fiora's doing in-game. But then I'm probably just gonna keep using her Royal Guard skin anyway so whatevs.
I'm also alright with the changes to her face in the splash art. I mean, I preferred the colour in her hair being a streak on one side rather that covering the whole front half of her haircut, but I'll get over that. And though, in my opinion, she had a more attractive face before, I do think the new one fits her character more. To me it gives the immediate impression of a snooty, arrogant woman who's very good at what she does, is probably better than you, and full well knows it. So, basically, who Fiora is.

 

[Zhukov]

Okay, so the new face on the teacher skin looks kinda weird. Can you even see that in gameplay? It's not like anyone plays zoomed right in.

Can't see what you're complaining about with the splash art. It's the same lady in basically the same pose. Her hair is a bit different and her outfit has some alterations. Not seeing a problem.

Honestly, you just come across as being mad because someone messed with your waifu.

I'm not qualified to talk about the gameplay stuff since I don't play LoL. Although having watched a few videos I will say that her new ult is at least more interesting, unlike the old one which was just a Master Yi Q on a longer cooldown.

 

[Zeraki]

The new model definitely looks worse, I think the splash art is fine though, I'd go as far to say that it's an improvement. It's brighter, more colorful and really doesn't look all that different from the old one.

Regardless she should go see a chiropractor about that back, it's obvious in both of those pictures that she has some kind of spinal injury.

 

[Rattja]

Just have to say model wise it does not look that bad.. but then there is that face. That right there just does not look right.

 

[cleric of the order]

RITO YOU DO CARE, NOW MAYBE YOU'll GET BETTER SERVERS
right?
right?

fiora's delicious tears aside, I personally think this works better with her fluff, the not quite Mirage Sign not quite gba swordmaster crit makes little sense to me in that context.
I like the update actually teaches people to maneuver better, flank and demands greater mechanical knowledge than before much like the new gp update. while I don't want to check and see if Sat20 has the scaling up for it but this could be incredibly powerful if you know what you are doing, fosters smart play and mechanical diversity.
Then again you could jsut argue this is league trying to be dota and with new UI i could be reasoned to agree (the fucking thing makes feel like I've been swimming in bilge-water )

I
Y'know, instead of Jax being better at doing that in almost every single way.

Imagine if he had a real weapon

 

[Action Jack]

Yeah, that new headmistress model has a face that looks kinda... inflatable.

But while I don't love the new splash art, I certainly never liked the old one. The lighting was cool, but that pose was just weird. It seemed like a really unnatural twist of the spine.

I'm not sure what makes her the most attractive member of the league of ladies, though. Aside from Rek'sai, Annie and the yordles, they pretty much all have the same body type and they're all ludicrously beautiful; Fiora always ranked pretty low comparatively for me, actually. And if her modesty was what did it for you, the new Fiora is still fully clothed.

 

[someguy1231]

I haven't played her yet, so the only thing I'll comment on is her appearance.

Pretty much the only thing I don't like about the new model is her eyes look too big and wide, like she has a constant expression of shock/surprise on her face. Other than that, I don't see what the complaints are about. She doesn't look any more or less "realistic" (not that I'd care anyway, since I don't care for "realism" to begin with), I don't see anything wrong with her back, and her splash art is more or less the same to me.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I don't play the game, so I can only comment on the reaction to the aesthetic changes...


Is the model an unlockable skin or something? Because I don't understand how "fencer" in the splash art translates to "sexy schoolteacher" in the game.

Yes, I'm not a big fan of the face for the second model, but some of the proportions in the first are downright ridiculous (giraffe neck much?). Also, isn't the game played from an overhead RTS-style view? Chances are the model difference isn't going to be that noticeable in the heat of battle.

As for the splash art, I actually prefer the new one with regards to authenticity (I was a fencer myself for a handful of years). I like how her upper outfit resembles an actual fencing jacket. The pose isn't quite so spine-twistingly ridiculous either, again more closely mimicking an actual fencer's stance. It's still a far cry from the real thing, but she's at least more recognizable as a fencer.